Go Skateboard – With West49

Jun 8,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

So majority of true skaters know that June 21^st is “Go Skateboard Day”, hopefully they know it’s the first day of summer as well. There will be a ton of events around the province of British Columbia, and of course the usual mass of people meeting up at the Vancouver Skate Plaza in the early afternoon to roam the downtown streets together in a mega-posse hitting up random spots and competing for sweet prizes.

We’ll see you there.

West 49 does things a little differently by setting up small venues at local skate parks to give all those unfortunate kids that couldn’t make it downtown a chance to score some gear too. They will be coming to a park near you.

See below for where and what time –

JOIN WEST 49 FOR GO SKATEBOARDING DAY 2012

VISIT YOUR LOCAL WEST 49 STORE FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE EVENTS.

CHILLIWACK • Chilliwack Landing SHOW MAP

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Our GSD2012 will be all about hanging out and skating. We will have games of S.K.A.T.E. and Best Trick and will be giving out prizes for winners. Trick Tips will also be provided by our in-house skate guru, John. We want to get lots of smaller prizes so that no one feels left out. We also will be using our West 49 banners and giving away all the Ele-ment GWP posters. Basically, it is just going to be an awesome day at the park. 9145 Corbould Street.West 49 Cottonwood Mall

KAMLOOPS • Macarthur Island Skatepark SHOW MAP

10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Go Skate Day! We will be setting up a tent and table displaying some prizes and promoting our shop. We will be holding some contests, having a few draws and giving away some freebies in order to stoke every skater from all ages! Island Parkway West 49 Aberdeen Mall

KELOWNA • Ben Lee Skatepark SHOW MAP

2:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

West 49’s Go Skateboarding Day is a super fun day of skating for all ages and abilities at Ben Lee Skatepark! West 49’s skateboarding staff and flow team will be on hand to share their trick tips. Come on out and play a game of S.K.A.T.E. or take home a prize just for landing a sick trick. Plus bonus mystery prizes that anyone can win! Bring your piggy bank for our hotdog BBQ, proceeds will go to a local charity. ‘On Leathead Rd. between McPhee St and Franklyn Rd. West 49 Orchard Park Mall

NANAIMO • Pioneer Skatepark SHOW MAP

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Giving out a ton of prizes! Will have mini skate comps to win, all age and experience levels welcome. behind the Canadian Tire at 6900 Island Highway North West 49 Woodgrove Centre

PORT COQUITLAM • Railside Skatepark ? SHOW MAP

12:00 PM

GoSkate day contests and a BBQ! 2850 Shaughnessy Street West 49 Place D’Orleans

PRINCE GEORGE • Rotary Skatepark SHOW MAP

12:00 PM

Do you love to skateboard? Skaters of all ages and levels, come down to Rotary Skatepark and have an all-around great time with the West 49 team! Massey Drive. West 49 Pine Centre

Burnaby • Bonsor SHOW MAP

12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers. Skate raffle, best trick contests, giveaways. 6609-6789 Jubilee Avenue.West 49 Woodgrove Centre

SOUTH SURREY • Cloverdale Youth Skatepark SHOW MAP

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

Fun day full of skating, prizes, and games of S.K.A.T.E. 17848 64th Avenue. West 49 Willowbrook Shopping Centre

VANCOUVER • Seylynn Bowl SHOW MAP

1:00 PM.

Will be handing out posters and lanyards, and holding a S.K.A.T.E competition. Behind Seylynn Hall, 625 Mountain Highway North. West 49 Park Royal

VERNON • Polson Skatepark SHOW MAP

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Best trick competitions at three skill levels. At the main intersection of Highway 6 and 97. West 49 Village Green

VICTORIA • Gordon Head Skatepark SHOW MAP

12:00 PM

Best trick competitions and giveaways! 4100 Lambrick Way West 49 Mayfair Mall

FIND EVENTS IN YOUR AREA:

The Thunder Rumbles On

Jun 8,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Bad move by the L.A. Lakers trading Derek Fisher in the mid-season, especially since he helped put them out in the second round of playoffs. But Oklahoma City sure welcomed him in with open arms. Finally a player with serious playoff experience. At the beginning of this basketball season I stated that either L.A. Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder would be the champions this year. Now the OKC are in the finals; first time appearances for most of the players. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and more – it’s time to learn what a ring feels like on your finger. They gotta win it all. In the Eastern Conference, Boston Celtics are up on Miami Heat 3-2 in the series. I don’t personally favor either of these teams, but I’m really hoping for the Heat to make it in the finals just so I can see Lebron James choke again and OKC strut over “The Big 3” on their way to grab their trophy.

Go Thunder!!

You Can’t Escape the Jungle

Jun 7,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

[youtube id=”SSg1AxVoG1I#!” width=”620″ height=”360″]

You hear the saying all the time, “It’s a Jungle out there”…

Definitely a true statement. We all walk around the land, especially here in North America, believing that we are better than all other mammals living in the same food chain. But what we have to realize is that we are all trapped in a jungle that doesn’t end. Anyone or anything can take your life at any moment, you never know what’s creeping up on you. We are surrounded by society and its evil ways. Most people worry more about being attacked by the wild animals in the world than the people that live in their own neighbourhood. But reality is, the jungle is all around us.

Nothing is sacred, no one is safe.

I quote Bob Marley from the song Concrete Jungle:

“No Chains around my feet but I’m not free…”

The Black Man overcame 400 years of Slavery, yet society will still not set them free. They are still tied down by the Corporate Government in so many ways. And we are all stuck in this mud too – we are all slaves to the corporate world.

That’s what the jungle is: A bunch of wild animals fighting each other for their own survival and trying to take from one another. No matter how hard you try to rise up, something will try harder to pull you back down. There really is no escape.

But don’t let this drag you down, it’s not the end of the world, It’s just something that all people need to recognize. We are all slaves. We are all tied down. We are all trapped in the same jungle. None of us are completely free in any way. But neither is any other living creature. The birds, the fish, the bees and ants – none of them are completely free. They all have to work for the life or they die. It’s not unfair, it’s just the way of the world.

When life pulls you down, you gotta pick yourself back up and find a way to put a smile on your face. Forget about your troubles and find what you love. Get as close to freedom as you can, but just remember to always watch your back, you never know what’s lurking out there

Welcome to the Jungle

Locks For Leukemia Fundraiser

Jun 5,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

A couple of us from The Protest Team went out to support the cause at Nolan McLeod’s Fundraiser held at the Tsawwassen Rec Centre on Saturday where there was a huge gathering of people. Some were there to skate the park, some were there to help raise funds, and some were there to cut their hair… and no, Hippie Mike did not shave his head.

When we pulled up at 11am, there was a full crowd of people hanging out beside the centre, music was playing, 50-50 draws, hot dogs; it seemed pretty chill. Nolan was not present, understandably, but you could see how many people cared for the cause. Shadd Trepp had called me up a few weeks ago to request a couple of us to come and skate the park just to give the crowd somewhere to wander off to, and something to watch, and also to help raise some extra funds to donate. Myself, Jaden Easton-Ellett and Andy Anderson were there representing for Protest Skateboards, and other rippers included Andrew Klassen, Graeme Betts, Lanny Deboer and Paul Machnau, along with a couple local rippers. We all just skated and had a good time, Shadd put on some Best Trick Contests with some donated prizing and there was a Highest Ollie Contest that Andy Klassen won.

I believe the skateboarders donated a couple hundred bucks for the cause, but all in all the total amount raised for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation was close to

$25,000!!

Great job to all who came out, and all who helped to raise funds, but we all know that there is never enough – so if you still want to make a donation please contact Kasie

Kasie@ebmcan.com

Keep pushin’ strong Nolan, and know that lots of people are here to support you…

Note: All proceeds raised will go directly to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and you can download the pledge form by clicking here.

Roar Of The Tiger

Jun 4,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Tiger Woods is back baby!!

One of my all time mentors, Tiger Woods has just set another goal for himself. With his 73^rd PGA Tour Victory on Sunday at the Memorial Tournament, he is now tied with Jack Nicklaus for 2^nd place in most wins. Only 1 man left to defeat and that’s Sam Snead who sits pretty with 82 wins.

This was Tiger’s first victory since 2009 and was well deserved. With all the mental and physical anguish he has been through in the past few years, it’s about time things were looking up for him. Tiger has set a standard in sports by being so untouchable. He shows determination and never gives up – The true mentality of a leader.

Golf is a game that anyone can play, just like anyone can learn to ride a skateboard. But where can the game take you in life? It’s how hard you try and how you express yourself while doing it that makes you a man or a mouse. If you practise a lot, and always show confidence, chances are you will end up being pretty good. These 2 sports are very similar. They’re not Team Sports, they’re Solo Sports. You practise and play in the same locations a lot, you enter tournaments against others who are known as the best in the world, and when it comes down to it – it’s just you and your brain that succeed. Even when the world is against you and keeps pushing you down, the chance to overcome and be amazing again will always be there.

Go for it…

Extreme Sports Skateboarding

When Lightning Strikes

Jun 2,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

[youtube id=”OA46da4XUNg” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Now this is my kind of video!

Straight up I give it a 5 out of 5, not just for the skating but for the entire artistic value. You cannot plan a night like this – Wind, lightning and thunder, with no rain. For most skateboarders, a time to hide out indoors and play their video games, but for a true artist, time to make a one of a kind video.

I love the fact that it is filmed by tripod too, because I know from my own experiences that it is tough to get people out into the dangerous elements to film.

Joe Flemke – huge props buddy!!

It looks like a perfect advertisement for Element Skateboards…

Remember, if you have video you want reviewed by Hippie Mike, email the link to

reviews@protestskateboards.com

Contests Extreme Sports Skateboarding

Show Up Mike – Update

Jun 1,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Anyone who knows about the contest might be waiting for that submission date to come so that they can get a head start on the competition. It’s almost here…

47 skate parks, and my own personal mini-ramp all complete, finally.

I have now filmed 5 tricks at each of these places and will be editing all separate videos for you to watch. Once this stage is complete, then it will be your turn to Show Me Up at as many of these parks as you desire. The videos have to be uploaded to Youtube and then you submit the link to us through the website.

Try and get as many votes per day as you can.

The video with the most votes by the end of the contest will win

$500

plus a consolation prize for the winners from each park…

Click the add in the bottom right corner for more details about the contest and a list of which parks will be involved.

Extreme Sports Skateboarding

Protesting To Protest

Jun 1,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Protest is such a beautiful word. The freedom of speech is sacred. When the people of Montreal were told they couldn’t protest, they protested it…

Hippie Mike’s Tour De Surrey 2012

May 31,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

[youtube id=”h1QAdE5fOT8″ width=”620″ height=”360″]

Well, summer is creeping up fast on us, and the hype is on already. Lots of kids have been asking about the 9^th annual hippie mike’s tour de surrey dates and locations so here they are.

The tour de surrey series is a great event for skateboarders of all ages to come out and show their skills, and maybe even take home some prizes. As you can see from the poster, it’s quite popular with so many sponsors, which brings a solid crowd out to every event.

Hosted as a City of Surrey Event, it is well staffed and well managed.

And We raise lots of funds and food each year for the Surrey Food Bank.

Check out this clip from “The Express” on Shaw TV from last summer showcasing some of the kids at the Cloverdale Skate Park during one of the contests. The story is introduced at 1min 35seconds in.

Can’t wait to see what you guys have in store for this year.

Kilian – Killin’ it!

May 31,2012 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

K – I – L – I – A – N…

Kilian Martin is a maniac. This guy just might be the next Rodney Mullen. A freestyle wizard, with some serious street skills, and combining the 2 together to create tricks out of some other dimension.

This video has been anticipated for quite a while, and after watching it you will understand why. Kilian has passed Tony Hawk’s record for the most hits on Youtube with over 5 million, and just to prove how, this video was released yesterday on May 29^th, and at this moment has been viewed 42,824 times. That’s insane!!

Filmed, edited and directed by Brett Novak, in association with Mercedes, there is some serious production value behind it. It looks like they were at an old abandoned amusement park somewhere in California. Kilian makes good use of any obstacles that are still existing, and straight up kills it.

Watch the video, screw your head back on, and go learn this stuff…